Krzysztof Penderecki (b. Dêbica, Poland, 23 Nov 1933) is a Polish composer and conductor. He studied composition privately with Franciszek Skołyszewski and then (1954–8) with Malawski and Wiechowicz at the State Higher School of Music (now the Academy) in Kraków. Later, he joined the staff of the school as a teacher of composition. His first major success came in 1959 when Strofy, Emanacje and Psalmy Dawida were awarded the top three prizes at a competition organized by the Union of Polish Composers.
Soon afterwards he came to the attention of publisher Hermann Moeck and Heinrich Strobel, director of the music division at SWF. As the director of the Donaueschingen Music Days, Strobel commissioned several of Penderecki's works and Penderecki earned subsequently a reputation as one of the most innovative composers of his generation, especially for his experiments in notation, the perception of time, and extended instrumental techniques.